Bada Micheal Ajiboye a k a Mikky: A Tribute
By Adewuyi Adegbite
Immediately I heard the news about the death of Chief Michael Ajiboye a k a Mikky from a friend and brother, Prince Fatai Adiyeloja, a prince of Orunto chieftaincy family of Ile Ife, I was off balance and couldn't hold myself because the news shocked me to the marrow.
This is not because I have never seen someone dead or Mikky is prone to death but I never thought it will be that early. I was close to Mikky in his life but that does not mean I visited his house often. Our relationship was based on mutual love for pen. He called me Pen Power International or simply comrade. I called him baba Mikky but when he was installed as Bada of ijeru, I called him Bada Mikky.
I had a discussion with him few weeks ago on a very critical issue but insisted on redeeming his name and those of his generation unborn for posterity. I never knew that future will be this early. Hence my shock. It was as a result of the shock that I just put up a post announcing his demise but promised to write more when I found my lost pen. As a matter of fact, I was at his wake keep yesterday evening and saw his remains confirming that the good old war horse has exited. I took excuse from the family that I would not attend the church service because of other pressing engagements. His remains have been committed to mother earth marking the end of a glorious but a controversial era.
Who is Michael Ajiboye? Madiba, Nelson Mandela loved to share his experiences especially when he was released from jail at Robin Island Prisons, particularly when he went abroad. He said one day during one of his visits to the Caribbean, at the airport, a couple was strolling and on seeing him , the husband who knew him though through his pictures on television said , "Mr Mandela, Mr Mandela", the woman replied " what is he famous for?".
This is to deride him because to many in the Western World, Mandela and his colleagues in the ANC and other anti Apartheid struggle were terrorists! Michael Ajiboye meant many things to many people in his life and death. This is how it supposes to be. We can not sleep and all having our heads in the same direction! Mikky is an enigma, a person who is difficult to understand. Some believed he was into occultism due to his expanse knowledge of Ifism. He is well versed in ODU corpus and exhibits this in his actions and writings. . Many believed he has juju and wicked. However, to many , he a defender of the defenseless. A man who fights for the oppressed. All these opinions are noted. However, a painstaking study of Mikky will reveal a passionate being, honest to a fault and an hater of dishonesty and injustice. A cerebral being.
A man full of life. A fighter for common good . His larger than life personality betrayed his age, I was surprised he was mere 68 but his accomplishments and popularity spanning ages would make one thinks he was a septuagenarian. He had no opportunity of higher education but trained himself educationally and walk shoulder to shoulder with highly educated people. He was a brave man who braved all fear to open up dreaded Petuo area for habitation in the late 70s.
As a hotelier, his hotel named Mikky Hotel is more of a meeting place for activism than a hotel. His act of bravery compelled the immediate past Onpetu of Ijeru, Alayeluwa Yesufu Mobolade Atobatele 2 made him Amuludun of Ijeru. The immediate past Soun, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade 3 took him to Atobatele to Court for lack power.
But Mikky won the case. He thereafter called himself "the youngest Chief in the land ". As a man Friday to Onpetu Atobatele, and one of the relatively educated among his chiefs, it is on record that he wrote the proposal or memorandum which led to the creation of Ogbomoso South local government council by the military administration in 1989 or thereabout.
Michael Ajiboye was not a politician in the real sense but he was well respected by politicians because of his effrontery to speak truth to power. He was dubbed petition writer which he did not deny. He was said to love court cases, this is better than taken laws into his own hands.
The defamation case he fought last was interesting because it took about two decades before the case was settled in his favor with huge amount of money as damages in his favor. Many well to do in the land remonstrated with him to temper justice with mercy over the damages to be paid by the defense but bent on collecting last dime. This according to what I wrote above - to protect his name and those of his generations unborn. This is he did before he breathes his last. Bada Mikky had come and played his part in this side of the world divide. He has returned to his creator.
His actions and inactions would decide his place in history but as a human being, he played his part and would be remembered. He stood by his principal, the Onpetu of ijeru, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran Lagbami Osekun 3 till his last days. This is occupier of the throne that brought him into the limelights. I am sure Mikky audacity in pioneering development in a dreaded area like Petuo has memorialized him. Being the first to open up the area by building his hotel there, the area has been named Mikky by the people and stitches to it till day.
I pray one cretin would not come in future and in the name of a lame and spineless chairman of local government tamper with the name. He has joined others like Oba Samuel Adegboyega Osunbade who through his hotel had the area named Olugbon area in his memory ditto for Inu Ofebi, E Sanu Aje, Sam Ade, Obandi , Goma etc. Blessed be his memory.
Comments
Post a Comment